Photo: Bo Zaunders / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
The Pentagon has told roughly 2,000 troops to be prepared to deploy to the Middle East as the war between Israel and Hamas wages on. According to the Wall Street Journal, the troops would not be involved in combat operations. Instead, they would be tasked with providing medical support and serving in advisory roles.
The troops are currently deployed across Europe and the Middle East. No decision has been made on whether to send the troops to Israel.
The move comes as Israel prepares for a ground offensive into northern Gaza to wipe out Hamas.
Last week, the U.S. ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Mediterranean as a show of force to "deter hostile actions against Israel."
The war, which started when Hamas conducted a massive surprise attack against Israel on October 7, has left thousands dead and over ten thousand injured. In Gaza, over 2,800 people have been killed and nearly 11,000 injured. In Israel, over 1,400 people have died and more than 3,900 wounded.
Most of the victims are civilians.